This invention relates in general to viewing a media production and more specifically to providing user ability to hold, or maintain individual video tracks during the playback of a video.
Media productions can be presented to a user, or viewer, from many sources. Productions such as audiovisual videos, movies, etc., can originate from broadcast centers, satellite transmissions, cable transmissions, digital networks (e.g., the Internet, a corporate or campus local area network (LAN), etc.), from a compact disk (CD), a digital versatile disk (DVD), memory stick, hard disk or other suitable storage medium, or from other sources. Some forms of media presentations allow a user to select an angle or scene from one of multiple angles or scenes (or other information) available during the presentation. For example, if a user is watching a broadcast of a football game the user may be able to select a camera view that shows a close-up of the quarterback, a medium shot of a team's linemen, a long overhead shot of the playing field, etc. The user can select among each of the available scenes at any time by pressing buttons on a remote control device.
Similarly, a DVD, hard disk drive, random access memory (RAM), streaming content over a network or other content source can provide a production with multiple track, or “multi-angle,” selection. Typically, each selectable angle or view is assigned to a different button. Alternatively, a display screen dan show icons, symbols, “thumbnail” images or other indicators of possible scene selections. The user can highlight and select a track associated with an indicator by using a control such as a television remote control.
However, the use of dedicated buttons, separate visual indicators for each track, or other prior art approaches to track selection can create inconveniences during playback. For example, it may be difficult for a user to remember which button is associated with a track. Where an on-screen visual indicator is used, valuable screen “real estate” is taken up and less viewable area is available for displaying the actual presentation. A user may be required to interpret the visual indicators to understand what type of angle or scene selection will result from selecting a particular track. Track assignments and availability often change during a presentation and this can disorient and confuse the user.